Connecticut troopers vote no confidence against state police leaders

The Connecticut State Police Union membership has cast an overwhelming vote of no confidence against Department of Public Safety Commissioner Reuben Bradford and Colonel Danny Stebbins.

Tuesday afternoon the union released the results of member polling that showed Bradford received 752 no-confidence votes and 42 votes of confidence, while Stebbins received 760 no-confidence votes against 34 votes of confidence. The voting, according to the union, represented a 79 percent membership vote, or 807 of 1,106 members casting a ballot.

"Unfortunately, the Commissioner and Colonel have ignored the Union membership, refused to communicate with the Union leadership, and have failed to consider the invaluable experience and knowledge of our membership which would have ensured that the quality of public safety is not diminished during these difficult financial times," said union President Andrew Matthews in a press release. "Their lack of leadership and disrespectful attitude towards our membership has been demonstrated by the implementation of arbitrary policies which endanger public safety and Trooper safety, and as a result, has caused irreparable damage to the morale of our membership."